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How a government shutdown could impact travelers in the U.S.

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  Published in Automotive and Transportation on Tuesday, September 30th 2025 at 19:33 GMT by deseret
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Government Shutdown Threatens to Turn the U.S. Into a “Travel Nightmarish” Landscape

In the wake of an increasingly fraught congressional budgetary stalemate, a full‑government shutdown has slipped from a distant possibility to a tangible threat that could ripple across every corner of the U.S. travel ecosystem. The Deseret article, “How a Government Shutdown Will Impact Travel,” lays out a chilling picture: airport security lines stretch to record lengths, passport renewals stall, border crossings grind to a halt, and foreign‑issued visas—many of them time‑sensitive—risk expiration without the routine U.S. government processing. Below is a detailed rundown of the article’s key points, including insights from the sources it links to.

1. TSA Staffing Shortages and Airport Chaos

At the heart of the article is the threat to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). When the U.S. Treasury shuts down, all non‑essential federal employees are furloughed, and the TSA is no exception. The article cites a TSA spokesperson who says the agency normally operates with roughly 20,000 full‑time staff. In a shutdown, roughly 1,500 of those workers would be sent home—enough to strip the agency of 7–10 % of its workforce.

What does that mean for travelers? The article quotes several passengers who endured a 6‑hour wait at a major airport in late summer, when a single TSA squad was operating out of a “shaded” area of the security checkpoint. TSA’s “TSA PreCheck” program, which lets pre‑approved travelers skip the long lines, would also be impacted: the program’s back‑end verification is conducted by TSA staff, and in a shutdown the system would run on a “maintenance‑only” schedule, delaying the processing of new PreCheck applications.

A linked TSA page (https://www.tsa.gov) explains that the agency has a contingency plan to keep a “minimum” set of officers on duty, but warns that the plan will stretch resources thin, causing delays of up to 45 minutes on average. Travel experts cited in the article predict a similar pattern across the country, meaning that flights scheduled during the shutdown could face cancellations, especially those departing late at night or in the early hours when staffing is at its lowest.

2. Border Control: The “Free‑Fly” Conundrum

The article turns its eye to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facilities that greet travelers at land, air, and sea entry points. During a shutdown, CBP would continue to operate on a “partial‑staff” basis, with officers working “shift‑only” schedules to keep the gates open. The article references an interview with a former CBP field officer who says that in the last partial‑shutdown in 2019, officers reported a 30 % drop in the number of people they processed, but the overall throughput was still “roughly 70 %” of normal.

What’s worse is that the CBP also manages the inspection of passports, visas, and customs documentation. The article cites a travel‑lawyer’s perspective that a shutdown could delay the routine “e‑visa” approval process by 7–10 days, meaning that travelers who are slated to leave the country before their visas expire would risk having their passports returned with an “expired visa stamp.” This could derail business trips, international studies, or even a family vacation scheduled for that summer.

3. Visa, Passport, and Travel Document Delays

One of the most far‑reaching implications is the potential backlog at U.S. Embassies and Consulates abroad, which are managed by the Department of State. The article notes that the State Department’s travel‑document services rely heavily on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) “Electronic System for Travel Authorization” (ESTA) for Visa Waiver Program travelers. During a shutdown, DHS would be forced to “pause” most visa‑processing operations except for emergency or security cases, effectively freezing new applications.

The article links to a State Department FAQ page (https://travel.state.gov) that explains how the “Consular Operations” would be curtailed. Travelers would likely need to wait an additional 2–4 weeks to renew passports or obtain new visas. The article highlights that a 2024 study by the American Immigration Lawyers Association found that 15 % of visa applicants had their travel plans canceled because of processing delays, a trend that would almost certainly worsen in a shutdown scenario.

4. Domestic Flights and Airline Revenue Losses

The article takes a closer look at airlines, many of whom operate on razor‑thin profit margins. A shutdown could force airlines to cancel flights that are already marginally profitable, thereby driving up the cost of ticket purchases. A linked analysis from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) forecasts that a 30‑day shutdown could result in a 10 % decline in domestic airline revenue, which would translate to higher ticket prices for the average consumer.

Airlines also use TSA PreCheck and other expedited screening as a marketing point for “easy travel.” Without the ability to guarantee a fast screening process, airlines could see a drop in demand from frequent business travelers, compounding the financial strain. The article quotes a spokesperson from Delta Air Lines who says that the airline has “already been forced to re‑evaluate its scheduling and route network” in anticipation of the shutdown.

5. The Tourism Sector: A Cautionary Tale

While the article focuses on the practicalities of travel logistics, it also offers a sobering look at the tourism industry’s broader economic ripple effects. The U.S. tourism sector is worth roughly $1.3 trillion annually; a government shutdown that forces travelers to cancel flights or postpone trips could shave off at least 5 % of that figure.

The piece references a report from the U.S. Travel Association that projects a “recession‑like” downturn in tourism activity if the shutdown lasts longer than 30 days. Hotels, restaurants, and attractions that rely on predictable tourism patterns would experience unpredictable booking windows, causing short‑term overbookings and long‑term financial instability.

6. Bottom Line: What Travelers Should Do Now

The article’s conclusion offers a practical guide for travelers who might find themselves in a post‑shutdown world:

1. Check TSA and CBP updates on official sites daily; many flights will be delayed, so keep an eye on flight status alerts.
2. Verify passport status at the U.S. Embassy’s website and, if you’re a U.S. citizen, renew your passport at a local passport office that remains open during a shutdown.
3. Plan for longer travel times: add extra buffer days for flights, customs, and immigration checks.
4. Consider travel insurance that covers “government shutdown” as a covered event—some providers now offer that.
5. Stay in the loop: subscribe to state and federal travel alerts and use reliable travel‑apps that provide real‑time updates.

Final Thoughts

A government shutdown may appear to be a fiscal and political exercise, but its impact on travel extends far beyond the political arena. From longer security lines and delayed visa renewals to economic repercussions for the entire tourism ecosystem, the Deseret article paints a comprehensive and sobering picture of what could happen to the U.S. and its travelers in a shutdown scenario. The piece urges everyone—from frequent flyers to first‑time international travelers—to prepare for the worst and to stay vigilant for updates from official agencies, as the next few months could prove to be a true test of how resilient our travel infrastructure really is.